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Congressman McCarthy Announces $50 Million Grant Award to City of Bakersfield for Critical Roadway

Jun 6, 2018

Press Release

Today, Congressman Kevin McCarthy announced Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao’s intention to award $50 million to the City of Bakersfield to complete the Centennial Corridor State Route 58/99 Freight Improvement Project through the Infrastructure For Rebuilding America (INFRA) Program.

The Centennial Corridor Project was first conceived in 2005 and initially funded through the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act. Since being elected to the House, Congressman McCarthy has been a staunch advocate for funding the Centennial Corridor Project and bringing it to completion. In November 2017, Congressman McCarthy sent Secretary Chao a letter in support of funding the project. A copy of the letter can be viewed here.

Upon completion, the Centennial Corridor Project will connect State Route 58 to the Westside Parkway, enhancing ease of transportation throughout Bakersfield. The completion of the Centennial Corridor Project marks a watershed moment in Bakersfield, and underscores over a decade of work on behalf of the city and federal government to bring this project to fruition.

Congressman Kevin McCarthy issued the following statement:

"With this announcement, President Trump is keeping his promise to revitalize America’s infrastructure. The City of Bakersfield will now enter the final sprint on a project that has been over ten years in the making. I cannot understate how important this is for Bakersfield, and I am thrilled that our dream of a better-connected city will soon be a reality for those who live and work in our community. The Central Valley and Bakersfield are some of the most critical commerce zones in the State of California, and this project will save both commercial freight truckers and local motorists countless hours on the road each year, not only making our daily commutes shorter, but also reducing emissions for a cleaner, healthier Valley. I applaud the Administration, the Department of Transportation, the City of Bakersfield, the Kern Council of Governments, and all those who made this achievement possible.”